Chapter 405: Chapter 405

Charlotte Sheffield wonders whether Ronan Rhodes is acting out of playfulness, extravagance, or sympathy towards her.

While continuing to arrange the flowers, she explains, "We’ve agreed beforehand. Any unsold ones, I can return to the shop."

Ronan: "I said I want to buy them."

Charlotte glances at him but pays no attention.

Ronan walks over, takes out all the cash from his wallet, and puts it in her basket. It’s not much—just a few hundred bucks—but it’s more than enough to buy her flowers.

Charlotte looks at the money he placed in the basket, then looks up at him as he says, "Just leave it here. I’ll have someone come by later to collect."

Charlotte looks at the few hundred bucks. For her right now, money is incredibly important.

Whether Ronan truly needs these flowers or has another intention, she decides not to delve deeper. She picks up the cash and puts it in her purse, asking him, "Where do you want them delivered to? I can help take them over."

Ronan pauses, then points to her tricycle, asking, "Using this to deliver?" Content originally comes from novel_fіre.net

Charlotte knows he likely owns numerous luxury cars, nods, "Mm-hmm."

Ronan thinks for a moment, pointing towards the direction of his lodging, says, "It’s quite far, just deliver them there, and I’ll have someone drive them back tomorrow morning."

Charlotte doesn’t try to show off. Her physical condition doesn’t allow her to.

As she continues to tidy up the remaining flowers, she bends down and says, "Sir, you go ahead first, I’ll deliver them to you shortly."

Ronan doesn’t respond, and Charlotte assumes he left, but when she turns around, she sees he’s still standing there, smiling faintly at her.

She doesn’t say much else and speeds up her tidying process. Just as she’s almost done, a bunch of flowers suddenly slips from her hand to the ground.

Charlotte is momentarily stunned looking at her hand, stiffly flexes her fingers, and promptly bends over to pick them up.

In her line of sight appears a pair of black men’s leather shoes, followed by a hand that helps her gather the fallen flowers.

"Thank you..." She extends her hand to take the flowers from him and puts them onto the tricycle.

Charlotte somewhat avoids Ronan’s gaze, not intentionally but more due to a solitary nature.

He always feels that behind her seemingly clear eyes, there are countless stories hidden.

Charlotte places the flowers at the lodging, only riding a distance of about two meters on her tricycle.

She hears something fall onto the iron frame at the back of the tricycle, noticeably heavier, making it difficult to pedal.

She immediately presses the brake and turns to look back, only to find Ronan sitting on one side of the tricycle, smiling at her. Before she can speak, he asks, "Have you eaten?"

Charlotte doesn’t answer, instead asks, "Anything else, sir?"

Ronan straightforwardly: "I want to invite you to dinner."

Charlotte: "Thank you, sir, I’ve already eaten and need to head home."

Ronan looks at her face and can guess there’s an 80% chance she’s lying but can also see her wariness and unease. He leaps off the tricycle and asks, "Can you leave me your contact information?"

Charlotte doesn’t respond, turns and pedals away.

Fortunately, it’s uphill, otherwise Ronan might have caught up with her.

Ronan takes out his business card and randomly sticks it into a seam of the tricycle, saying to her, "Remember to call me."

Charlotte doesn’t look back, pedaling away.

Only then does Ronan turn and head back to the lodging, going upstairs to his room.

He sees a woman wearing a silky robe he just bought today, with fair skin and a commendable figure—a rare beauty.

When Ronan comes in, the woman is leaning by the window watching him, holding a half-smoked ladies’ cigarette, with a coquettish smile saying, "Back? Where did you go?"

Ronan walks over, embraces the woman, inhaling the fragrance of shampoo from her hair.

Unexpectedly, the woman gently pushes him away, then with a smile, questions him: "Where did you just go?"

Ronan, not particularly patient, answers dismissively, "Just out wandering."

Woman: "Wandering together with the flower seller?"

Hearing this, Ronan sneers and releases her, realizing she has likely been standing by the window for a while.

Ronan remains unfazed, lacking the mood to even explain.

He takes out a cigarette from a pack in his pocket, lights it, and brings it to his lips.

After taking a puff, he says to the woman, "So what now? Not even a day, and you’ve taken it seriously?"

The woman’s face turns slightly unpleasant, Ronan continues, "You’re not qualified to be jealous; no one here is any saint, don’t play this game with me, it’s utterly boring."

Upon finishing, Ronan picks up the jacket he previously took off by the bed and leaves straight away.

He calls for someone to bring a car and drives along the road Charlotte just went, stopping at a crossroads, uncertain of her direction.

Once Shannon Quinn returns to the company, there isn’t a major reshuffle, but there are significant position changes and many newcomers.

What’s noteworthy is a newly arrived male designer.

He is said to be a former classmate of Aidan Lockwood, named Jasper Sutton.

Dressed in cheerful casual attire, wearing transparent frame glasses, appearing scholarly.

Compared to Aidan Lockwood, although the two are the same age, Jasper Sutton appears younger.

Perhaps because Aidan Lockwood is always in formal wear looking mature, while Jasper Sutton’s casual wear makes him noticeably youthful.

Jasper Sutton himself plans to open a shop, so he’s spending some time at Aidan Lockwood’s store to learn about management strategies.

Maybe it’s true that birds of a feather flock together; Aidan’s friends seem to have a similar character and temperament.

Shannon Quinn has had professional interactions with Jasper Sutton twice, and though Jasper Sutton is a veteran in the industry, he humbly consults Shannon Quinn on some design matters.

Their interaction feels much like hers with Aidan Lockwood; both teacher and friend.

The most talked topic in the work group these days is the gossip about Jasper Sutton.

Yara is being pressured by her family to get married, so every time she sees a single man, she finds it hard to resist and has mentioned in the group she wants to try her luck with Jasper Sutton.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts.

The rumor now circulating in the work group is that Jasper Sutton and Aidan Lockwood are a pair instead.

Shannon Quinn, as she lurks in the group chats, can’t help but admire the imaginative colleagues she has.

On Friday afternoon, Leo finishes school earlier than usual, and Landon Sutton adjusts his work hours to pick Leo up from school and goes straight to pick up Shannon Quinn.

Having promised Leo to take him to a children’s restaurant once midterms are over, Shannon Quinn was prepared and left work early that day.

After getting in the car, sitting in the back seat with Leo, Landon Sutton slowly starts the car, slightly glancing at the opposite window, casually asking in a nonchalant tone, "Is that guy your client?"

Shannon Quinn puzzledly glances at Jasper Sutton who remains outside the store talking on the phone.

Instantly recognizing the jealousy in Landon Sutton’s words, she smiles and says, "No."

Landon Sutton wrinkles his brow, "No? What were the two of you chatting so happily about then?"